Few jobs offer the challenges and the job satisfaction of working as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or as a paramedic.
People in these jobs literally save lives on a daily basis. They also prevent injuries, treat patients at the scenes of accidents and emergencies. They also provide a calming effect on chaotic situations.
Both jobs require formal education and clinical training. An EMT will learn how to handle common emergencies and work with medical equipment. A paramedic is considered the highest level of EMT and requires more schooling, experience and leadership abilities.
Here are the steps to become both.
EMT Certification
All EMTs and paramedics are required to have a high school diploma.
For most EMTS, a training program that lasts less than a year is enough to get them the skills needed to get an EMT job. Once finished with such a program, students are eligible for EMT certification through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
EMTS learn how to quickly assess a patient’s condition, handle common emergency situations such as trauma and heart attacks and also handle various types of medical equipment. Students typically learn not only in a classroom setting but also through clinical training at a hospital, fire department or ambulance company.
EMT programs are available through universities, community colleges and technical institutes.
Advanced EMT
For EMTs who want to climb farther up the ranks, the next level is to do the 400 hours of coursework needed to become an Advanced EMT. This training, both in the classroom and clinical, involves learning how to use more advanced medical equipment as well as the administration of some medications.
Universities and community colleges also offer these courses.
Paramedic
Paramedics have the most complicated job among EMTs and require the most education. They often lead emergency teams, giving them the most decision-making power at the scene of an emergency. A mistake at this level could be the difference between life and death.
Given the complexity of the job, paramedics require much more training. Paramedics must first become certified EMTs and then get some experience on the job. They then can enter a two-year paramedic program that will earn them an associate’s degree. Some programs award a bachelor’s degree, preparing students for the top jobs as a paramedic.
Courses will include biology, anatomy and physiology. Paramedic students also take courses on life support and learn how to stitch wounds and administer medications, as well as other advanced medical work.
After completing a paramedic’s course – usually about 1,200 hours – students must then get certified as a paramedic by passing a national exam. Some states also require a separate exam.
Salary and Job Outlook
Both EMTs and paramedics are very much in demand. Because of natural disasters, acts of violence and an increasing number of car crashes as the nation’s population grows, the number of people needed with training in handle emergencies is increasing.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 15 percent increase in the number of EMTs and paramedics by 2026, with more than 37,000 people entering the fields.
The median salary for EMTs and paramedics in May 2016 was $32,670, according to the BLS. The top 10 percent in the profession earn more than $52,000 a year. The best-paying jobs in the field are in hospitals or with local governments.
Texas employs the most EMTs and paramedics, according to the BLS, with the median salary in the state at $35,870. However, Illinois ($41,840), New York ($41,140) and California ($37,770) offer better annual salaries.
